Once More With Feeling
by lesharostormraven
Summary: A KHIII story. Not all is quiet with the worlds. The Darkness is growing and old foes have learned new tricks. Will the Keyblade Masters save the Realm of Light, or will it all be lost to the Shade? AkuRoku, SoRiku. Violence/Death/Adult Themes
1. Prologue

-{([o])}-

Once More With Feeling

-{([o])}-

**Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is not now, nor has it ever been, mine. I will, however reluctantly, take the blame for Lady Ahnmuri.**

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_Author's Note: This will be my version of KHIII. I started writing this before I saw 358/2 or BBS (I don't own a handheld), but have since watched them and reworked a few bits. I will include some things we learn there, but I will be totally ignoring others. For the purposes of this story, Aqua was most likely lost to the darkness, Terra is probably just an interesting back story for Xemnas, and Ventus may be mentioned only in passing. Rescuing them is Nomura's KHIII, not mine, got it memorized? A word of warning: this is not a light story; people are going to get hurt, maimed, and, in some cases, even killed. This is not a PWP, and on this site, it will be staying fairly clean, but this story will, when we get there, contain BL/yaoi and non-canon pairings, e.g., AkuRoku, SoRiku, etc. (sorry Naminé). And, Ahnmuri should be gone after the first chapter. She's just a device to get a few players back in the game. Speaking of which…_

-{([o])}-

Prologue

The machine was going critical. No, the machine had _gone_ critical and exploded. He remembered now the blinding flash of light engulfing him as he tried to use his body to shield his friends. He remembered unconsciousness over taking him, welcoming it. It was a small gift that he would not feel the pain of death.

But, he felt the pain now.

A dull ache was sifting through the wash of memory, clouding it. Grief over his past actions warred with confusion for his current situation. Death was not supposed to be painful. Maybe this was his punishment. He could not deny that he should deserve such a thing. He let out a resigned sigh that brought a sharp pain to his lungs. He brought a hand to his chest and felt thick fabric. He heard movement off to his right somewhere and, ever wary, opened his eyes to take in his surroundings.

He was lying on a sofa in a small nook that appeared to be part of a larger study. Tan bookshelves lined three of the walls, while the fourth was held by a large window with heavy drapes that were a muted green that matched the soft carpets. Bright afternoon sunlight was streaming through the gap in the curtains. In front of the window was a tan desk covered in more books, stacks of paper, and various strange looking objects, including a large blue crystal sphere that sat in a ring of gold lined with buttons.

Behind the desk sat a figure in a dark jade cloak. While the cloak concealed the person's slender shape, and the hood was pulled low so that shadows hid their face, the grace with which the figure rose and walked towards him, immediately told him she was female.

"Are you really awake this time, or are you going to slip off again?" she asked in a quiet voice that reminded him of waves lapping at the shoreline. He thought about her question for a moment, taking stock of himself. The dull ache was still there, but not intolerable, though it hurt if he breathed too deeply. Looking down at himself for the first time, he thought he understood why. His coat lay open, revealing heavy bandages wrapping his torso, deep purple bruises were evident where the skin shown through.

He gave a dark chuckle that triggered the sharp pain and said, "I believe I look worse than I feel." He could see the shadow of a smile underneath her hood as she sat down in a chair by the sofa.

"If you're conscious enough to try to make a joke," she said, her smile evident in the babbling brook of her voice, "then I'd say we're stuck with you. In which case, let me welcome you back to the land of the living, Lord Ansem."

At the sound of his name, a glimmer of memory sparked in the back of his mind. "You may be right, Lady Ahnmuri," Ansem said as he fought through the pain to raise himself to a sitting position.

"So, you remember my name, at least." She made a move to help him sit up, but he quickly waved her off. She instead made a small gesture with her left hand. With a flash of light, she now held the large sphere Ansem had seen on her desk. Upon seeing it up close, he noticed that the sphere seemed to be filled with a slowly churning liquid and glowed faintly. Another gesture and small flash, and there were two glasses of water sitting on the low table in front of them. Ahnmuri gestured for him to drink and took a sip of her own before she continued on. "I'd wondered about that." Her grip seemed to tighten on the sphere. "I dislike having to introduce myself to people I once called 'friend'. And I haven't poisoned that, you know," she indicated his still untouched glass. "I wouldn't go to all the trouble of patching you up, only to do away with you." Ansem picked up his glass, gave it a surreptitious examination, and took a swallow. The cool water was soothing to his dry throat. He took another drink before setting it back down. When he did, he noticed it was just as full as when he had picked it up. He looked from the glass to the woman before him.

"Too long in the darkness, I'm afraid," he offered with a slight smile. "As such, you have me at a disadvantage." While, it was true that he did remember her name, and that he knew he used to know this woman quite well, his time in the dark realm had removed many of the connections in his heart. He did feel, however, that the truth, at least some of it, was best.

"I know that I know you, but in what capacity, I couldn't guess. You speak of friendship between us, and while this seems true, I am not sure I should trust it. My judgment is…not what it used to be. For all I know, we could be mortal enemies, and you have me hear under some enchantment. You certainly seem capable." As he said this, he glanced pointedly at the summoned sphere and the water.

"What, those little parlor tricks?" she laughed. "They're hardly great feats of magic. Any of my subjects could repeat it, at least, the ones gifted in those arts, anyway. And as for myself, I truly am but a humble 'servant of the worlds', to use your phrase.

"There. How do you explain that you even know that that is one of my phrases?" Ansem had spoken those words to Roxas before he had rejoined with Sora. As far as he knew, the Nobody and he were the only ones who heard that conversation.

"With this." She indicated the sphere in her hand. "I'm afraid that I have cheated a little. You know, it's not every day a half-dead man just appears on your doorstep. Even though I recognized you, it has been nearly ten years since we last spoke. As protector of my people, I needed to know what would bring Ansem the Wise across the Pathways Between in such a state. And, even though the Healers made quick work of your injuries, you've been out of it for almost two weeks now. So, I had one of the masters make me this." Again, she lifted the sphere.

"But, what is it?"

"We call it a memory sphere. Certain masters have the ability to affect people's memories. I know you have some experience with people like this, having seen Naminé in your memories. Using their abilities, they can take a blank sphere and create a copy of a person's memories, perfectly preserving them for centuries. Normally, people use these to record special events in their lives, but spheres are also helpful in the matter of public records or, in your case, interrogations."

Ansem was slightly taken aback at this invasion of his mind and heart. "In other words, you are holding all of my memories hostage in the palm of your hand?"

It was Ahnmuri's turn to be caught off guard, though she recovered quicker. "No, nothing like that, I assure you. This is only a copy, an external record. Unlike your experiences with Naminé, with this, your memories still rest within you. Also, it is only your most recent past, from your time in Castle Oblivion to present. Attempting to retrieve the memories from before your time in the Dark Realm would have put a strain on your heart, and in your weakened state, I forbid them to try. Plus, now that you are awake and I can speak to you, you are more than welcome to destroy the sphere. It's yours to do with as you please." With that, she tossed the sphere onto the sofa next to him. He quickly picked it up, placing it in one of his pouches.

"Finally," Ahnmuri pressed on, "there are no hostages or prisoners here. You are free to leave whenever you like."

"I sense a 'but' coming," Ansem countered.

Ahnmuri hesitated a second. "However," the smile had returned to her voice, "I do have a request of you." Ansem gave a weak laugh and waited. She continued. "It's nothing too terrible, I assure you. I simply wish for you to keep your word." Ansem gave her a confused look.

Ahnmuri sighed. "You told your friend, King Mickey, that you must make amends to the young people. I think I may know a way for you to do so. Not only make it up to Sora, Riku, and Kairi, but to Roxas and Naminé, as well."

"How?"

-{([o])}-

With the fall of the Castle That Never Was, they had worried the rest of the Dark City, along with whatever secrets it held, would slowly sink back into the nothingness from which it came. It was this worry, and the hope of finding these secrets before they could vanish, that had brought the King and his two companions to face the darkness-filled town again.

Following the streets leading from the portal to Betwixt and Between, the trio encountered something they did not expect. While the city had been almost completely overrun by Neoshadows and Dusks, they barely paid the King, Donald, and Goofy any attention. The Heartless were too busy trying to fend off the Nobodies who, in the absence of a leader to tell them the plan had already failed, appeared to be still attempting to destroy the dark creatures to claim the captive hearts.

"Welp," the King said to his friends as they passed the looming skyscraper, "that explains why the city has lasted this long. Never thought I'd be grateful for Nobodies."

The King gave a small laugh at the thought, but was quickly brought up short by the sight that now lay before him. They had reached the Brink of Despair, only now the chasm was filled with the still smoldering ruins of the Castle that had once effortlessly floated above it.

"Aw, phooey," quipped the Magician. "I don't think there's anything left to find in there, even if we could find a way down to look."

"I think you're right, Donald," said Mickey, "but I had to see for myself. The information the Organization would have had could help us. Or it could hurt us if it was in the wrong hands."

"Gawrsh," sniffed Goofy, surveying the rubble, "I hope Pete an' Maleficent made it out alright. I mean, I know they was the bad guys, but they did help us escape so we could defeat Xemnas an' all."

Donald let out a sad groan. The King gave his friends a small smile and said, "Aw, I'm sure they made it out. I can feel it in my heart. Why, I bet they're out there somewhere waitin' to cause us more trouble." He gave another short laugh to try and cover the doubt his words brought to him. He then became serious again. "But right now we've got other things to worry about. We need to keep searchin'."

It was quiet for a moment as they turned to head back into the city before Goofy spoke again. "You know, fellas," he said as they walked back through town, "I've been thinkin'." This caused Donald to let out a snort, but the Knight went on unperturbed. "That there buildin'," he said, pointing at the skyscraper. "Idn't it suppose to have somethin' to do with memories? Maybe it's got some sorta record from the Organization."

"I bet you're right, Goofy," Mickey said with forced cheerfulness. They walked up the short flight of stairs and tried the door. It was locked. Goofy and Donald looked down, disappointed. The King let out a sigh and cleared his throat to get their attention. He didn't meet their gazes, but simply held up the keyblade. With dawning comprehension, they moved out of the way to give him a clear shot. With a bit of a flourish, Mickey pointed the weapon at the door, a beam of light flashed between them, and the door swung freely. The King then motioned for the others to follow him inside.

-{([o])}-

"That's all very well and good," said Ansem, "but, unless you have a Gummi ship I can borrow, this will have to wait until I have healed more fully and can use my power to access the corridors of light."

"Unfortunately, I do not have such a ship," Ahnmuri said, "nor do I have the patience to wait for your full strength to return." She turned her head toward the door to her study, gave it a sharp nod, and the door opened by itself. "Fortunately, I have someone who has agreed to, not only accompany you, but to transport you both there himself."

As she said this, a man, whom Ansem recognized from his time at Castle Oblivion, entered the room. He was dressed entirely in black: boots, gloves, pants, and a long, hooded coat with silver accents. His hood was down revealing bright green eyes set in a pale face with a dark, inverted teardrop tattooed beneath each eye. The man was crowned with a long mane of spiky, fire red hair. He smirked at Ansem, who glared back at him.

"Axel!" shouted Ansem.

"Nice to see you again, too, Ansem the Wise," said Axel, giving the older man a sarcastic, two-fingered salute as he walked closer. "I knew I wasn't going to like this."

Ansem turned his glare on the woman seated between them. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "Consorting with Nobodies, especially one who is a known traitor, even to his own kind. He was nothing but trouble, even young," Ansem continued, another memory from a lifetime ago flashing in his mind. "That's why he was sent…" Ansem quickly trailed off as Ahnmuri sharply shook her head."

"Hey," spouted Axel with his back to Ahnmuri, not noticing, "I only ever tried to get Roxas back. It's not my fault. You were the one who locked him in the digital prison. You're the bad guy here, got it memor…"

"How is this even possible?" the old scientist's curiosity curbing his anger for the moment. "King Mickey said he faded to nothingness?"

"Well," Ahnmuri replied, "remember when I said that it's not every day that a half-dead man shows up on your doorstep? That statement is truer than you think because, on the day in question, two men arrived. Axel appeared here a few hours before you, after attempting to sacrifice his life to save Sora." Ansem's expression gentled a little upon hearing this. "Like you, we patched him up. Unlike you, Nobodies heal quickly, not having real bodies to mend in the first place. As for how you both got here, one theory is that, somehow, Axel managed to send himself here, and when your machine blew up in your face, it sent you along the same pathway."

"As to why I would send myself to world I have no memory of," Axel said slowly, "I have no idea."

"So," Ansem said in a quiet voice, clearly softening towards the Nobody and the woman as understanding sank in, "We both tried to sacrifice our lives to save the others. "

"And failed," supplied Axel, "at least, in the sacrificing our lives part. Thanks to her." He pointed at Ahnmuri.

"Which brings us back to the discussion at hand," Ahnmuri pressed on, a slight strain in her voice. "Think of it this way: the sooner you start, the sooner you never have to see me or the other person again."

Ansem got to his feet and fastened his cloak. His pain was almost forgotten in the excitement of a new project. "Then, by all means, let us go quickly."

Axel gave a short laugh as he stretched forth his right hand, summoning a dark portal in the middle of the study. Ahnmuri rose to follow as the men made there way to the portal. "Thank you for this, Ansem," she said. "I may yet forgive you," she added, in an undertone. He gave her a half bow and disappeared into the darkness. "And, Axel," she said, "thank you, as well…Look after yourself."

"Look, Lady," Axel said, "I'm doing this for me and because I owe you for saving my…well, whatever it is a Nobody has instead of a life. After this, don't expect to be ordering me around anymore, got it memorized? And quit acting like you're worried about me. You're not my mother." With that, Axel stepped into the portal.

As the gateway vanished, Ahnmuri let out a short, sardonic laugh. She lowered her hood, revealing long red hair that stress was beginning to turn white in places, and sparkling green eyes that were glistening with tears. She moved to sit behind her desk, blinking the moisture away, as another red haired young man entered the room.

"I don't get it, Mom," the young man said, sitting in front of the desk. "Why didn't you just tell them you were the one who magicked Lea here before he could fade completely? I would've been bragging that I could do that kind of magic. For that matter, why didn't you just tell him who…"

"Because, Reno," Ahnmuri cut in, "he's not ready to know just yet. Thank you, though, for respecting my wishes and staying away while he was here. Your little brother was young when I entrusted him to Ansem for teaching. I would have sent him to Yen Sid, but he had stepped down, and Eraqus already had students. Then Ansem was overthrown, the worlds began falling to Darkness, and along the way, Lea was lost himself." She paused a moment to draw a steadying breath. "When the time is right, he may remember us and return. Anyway, you're here right now, not as my son, but because I needed to speak with my Captain of the Guard." Reno straightened his posture a little at her words. Ahnmuri took another glowing sphere out of her desk and placed it in the player. "This is from the memory of a washerwoman on the edge of town." She pressed a button on the device and it hummed to life, an image rising out of the sphere.

-{([o])}-

The interior of Memory's Skyscraper was not what any of them were expecting. Although, Mickey had to admit that a giant skyscraper that was completely hollow on the inside was a fitting monument in the city of hollow people. At one time, you would have been able to stand on the empty floor and see all the way to the roof. Now, however, someone had filled the ground floor, or rather the only floor, with lab equipment. Beakers, vials, glass tubes, and other strange-looking equipment took up most of the room. A desk, whose many stacks of papers almost hid the computer, was crammed into one corner. It was here that the King focused his attention.

As Mickey and Donald began sifting through the papers, Goofy was looking at the portrait hung over the desk. It showed a tall, thin man in an Organization coat, with long, sleek blonde hair, a very serious face, and large, staring eyes. Looking at the picture, Goofy scratched his chin in confusion. "You know," he said, "this guy looks awfully familiar."

The King looked at the portrait briefly. "That's Even…I mean Vexen. I met him a while ago. He was one of Ansem the Wise's apprentices. He was also Number IV in the Organization. Not a very polite fella, either way, heart or no heart, but he was really smart. I think this mighta been one of his labs." His Majesty raised a small book off the table to show the other two. "See, take a look. This looks like his journal." They read the first page over the King's shoulder.

_What better place for a laboratory to work on unlocking the memories and data contained in hearts than here in Memory's Skyscraper? It is the perfect place where prying eyes, and careless lower members with their silly pranks, will not disturb my research again. Why VIII and XIII decided to destroy my last lab, I may never know. Hopefully, I can convince the Superior to turn them into Dusks over this incident and I will not have to worry about them anymore, especially now that No. i is fully functional. XIII on his own may not be too annoying, but I swear VIII will be the end of me._

"Huh," huffed Donald. "Looks more like a diary than a journal to me."

The King shrugged as he absent-mindedly flipped through the rest of the book. As he neared the end, a computer disk fell out onto desk. Donald picked it up, asking, "What do you think this is?" Mickey located the page from which the disk had fallen. It wasn't difficult, for the page had a slight disk-shaped dent. It was also the last entry. He held the journal so the others could read it as well.

_Is it coincidence that, just after perfecting my experiment with the boy, Marluxia goads me into a battle? I highly doubt it. He simply wants me occupied long enough that he may steal my research and claim it as his own. Well, see if he can find it. I have put all my research into this data disk, and destroyed any notes. I will hide it here in my secret laboratory. Even the Superior does not know its location. Now, I am free to take care of the wretched child and not worry about anything._

"Oh, boy!" cried the King, "Vexen's research! And it seems awful important if he was even hiding it from Xemnas. Donald, see if you can turn on that computer so we can find out just what's on that disk."

Donald began to examine the computer for an on switch, when a Neoshadow emerged from a pool of darkness beside him. The first one was quickly followed by dozens more, all clearly finally having decided to try to acquire the only three hearts in this world. The Nobodies were nowhere to be seen. As the Magician slowly backed towards his friends, one of the Heartless swung a clawed fist at the desk, clearing a path towards its prey, and sending the computer flying into the opposite wall, where it smashed into bits.

"Welp, fellas," Mickey said, taking the disk from Donald, placing it back on it's page, and stuffing the journal into one of his pockets, "I don't think we're gonna learn anything else here. I think it's time to skedaddle."

Summoning his keyblade and raising it high above his head, the King leapt into the crowd of Heartless and began to clear a path to the door. Donald called down a torrent of lightning, reducing several Neoshadows to dark mist and shattering most of the glass in the room, as he ran to follow. Goofy simply pushed his cap forward on his head, raised his shield, and charged into the enemy with a mighty cry of, "Gah-hah-hah-hah-hooey!"

-{([o])}-

"The great Ansem the Wise, reduced to having a Nobody protect him," Axel quipped as he sliced through several Dusks with his chakrams. He and Ansem had arrived in the main hall of the abandoned mansion outside Twilight Town and were working their way through the Nobodies to get to the basement. Axel was about to send his weapons flying through two Assassins on the upstairs landing when a bolt of light shot past him, destroying the Nobodies, and clearing the path to the Library.

"And the Flurry of Dancing Flames reduced to agreeing to help an old man who is not as helpless as he appears," came Ansem's response as he walked passed Axel and opened the door, his outstretched hand still slightly glowing from his attack. "I may not have the strength to open a portal, but I have power enough to dispatch a Nobody who wishes to do me harm," he said with a pointed glance at Axel as they walked down the hidden stairs. Axel gave a half smile. "And I thought we were getting along so well," he replied.

When they entered the computer room, Ansem sat at the workstation and began downloading all of the files he would need. Axel, meanwhile, was examining the digitizing device in the alcove next to the computer. The device was glowing, still active. This prompted Axel to ask, "Should this thing be turned on?"

Ansem gave a quick glance to the device before turning back to his work. "If memory serves, the last ones to use it were Sora and his friends. I highly doubt, in all the excitement, they would have remembered to turn it off. It also explains why this manor is over run by Nobodies, as there is a portal to the World That Never Was inside the device."

"Right. While you're working on the computer stuff, maybe I should go close that portal."

"That's not necessarily a bad idea. However," Ansem said, taking the disk out of the workstation and placing it in a pouch, "I have already finished with the 'computer stuff' and could just as easily disable the machine itself."

Ansem made a move to do just that when, suddenly, the digitizing beam flashed and three figures stepped off the platform. An identical look of shock was on each of the trio's faces at the sight of the pair standing before them, which was impressive considering the group consisted of a duck, a dog, and a mouse.

As the surprise wore off, King Mickey threw himself into a hug with his old friend, eliciting a small wince of pain from Ansem. Axel found himself in a similar situation with Goofy giving him a backbreaking greeting. Donald, ever the tactful one, asked, "Wak? How are you guys still here?"

Axel tried to extricate himself from the eager knight and said, "If you'd let me breathe, I'd tell you it was a long story, but the short one is that we're still here and now owe a sorceress a favor, which we were working on repaying before we were interrupted." Goofy released him and retreated a few steps, muttering an apology. Axel smirked and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "What about you guys?" Axel inquired. "What brings you to this lovely place?"

"We was lookin' for information," replied Goofy, ignoring a look from Donald that said the duck clearly did not trust the Nobody. "We searched the whole city and found a journal and a disk from some Nobody named Vixen."

"Vexen," corrected Donald automatically.

Ansem ignored the cranky Magician, and instead turned to the diminutive king. "My friend, may I see the journal?" he asked, holding out his hand. The King took the journal, opened it to the page with the disk, and handed it to Ansem. A smile slowly spread across the old scientist's face as he read the page. "King Mickey," he said, "this is exactly the data I need to finish what I'm working on, although we must go to my study in Radiant Garden. My main computer is the only one I know of capable of handling this much information, and I may need the help of Tron and Merlin, too, if he's willing."

The King looked at Ansem for a moment before smiling at him. "It may be a tight fit," he said taking a small device out of another of his pockets, "but if you promise to explain things on the way, we can all take the _Excalibur_." When Ansem returned his smile and nodded, Mickey motioned for them to gather closer together before pressing a button on the small device, transporting them all aboard the Gummi ship.

-{([o])}-

_The sphere recording was in first-person, as they always were, and, at the moment, showed two wrinkled arms throwing a set of bedsheets over a backyard clothesline in the light of early morning. The sound of two young children chattering and laughing could be heard from a neighboring yard. The woman uttered a mild oath as one of the sheets feel to the ground before she could pin it in place. A wizened hand came up, presumably to the woman's mouth, and the view swung quickly to a gate in the high fence on the left where the children's voices continued without pause, clearly not having heard the foul language._

_The perspective shifted back towards the clothesline, but stopped and focused instead on the very back edge of the yard where two figures were emerging from a swirl of silver and black energy. The figures were bald, barefoot, and clothed in simple black pants and shirts, some sort of red and silver charm hanging from there necks. They could have been human, if not for the silver sheen to their skin and glowing yellow eyes. There was also something off about their mouths, but before further observation could be made, the pair moved quickly to the fence separating the two yards, crouched low, and sprang eight feet into the air over the fence._

_The old woman's hand snatched up a gnarled walking stick as the children's screams pierced the morning air, and the view shook a bit as the gate came closer and swung open with a bang. One of the creatures had a young girl pinned to a tree, holding her in place with one hand while it watched its companion. The other creature was kneeling over a small boy who had fallen to the ground. The children's mother, clearly frozen in shock, could only watch as the monster plunged a hand into the boy's chest, pulling out the child's glowing heart. The boy's screams stopped instantly. The creature looked at its glowing prize and gave a wide smile. Too wide. Its face split, literally, from ear to ear, revealing a deep, dark maw ringed with teeth. The creature then shoved the heart down its throat, closed its mouth, and looked to the girl, where its partner was gazing hungrily down at her._

_The washerwoman snapped from her shocked state and raised her staff at the being holding the girl. A large shard of ice flew from its tip into the monster's shoulder pinning it to the tree. It released its grip on the child who immediately ran to her now screaming mother. The old woman raised her staff skyward and lightning enveloped the trapped creature, reducing it to vapor. As she turned her staff to the other being, it licked its lips and vanished in another swirl of energy. With the monsters dealt with, the view shifted down to the still body of the little boy. As our view got closer to the child's face, the woman having knelt beside the non-breathing body, the boy's eyes opened. They were the same bright yellow of the monsters, and his skin was darkening to black. The view backed away from the child as darkness enveloped his body. When it cleared, the child was gone._

Ahnmuri deactivated the player, silencing the bawling girl and her still screaming mother. "That was this morning," she informed the stunned man before her. "What's more, that wasn't the only reported attack."

"They don't look like the Dark Ones from before," he said when he had recovered his voice.

"Heartless," she informed him. "That's what the Dark Ones are called according to Ansem's memories, and you're right. I was searching through his sphere, before he awoke, for anything like them. They may be after the same thing, but not only their appearance, but their methods are different."

"Yeah, a Dar…Heartless never would have stopped an attack just because its buddy got poofed."

"That's not the only difference. These creatures don't swarm, they hunt in twos and threes making quick attacks, like the one we just witnessed, and vanishing again, even when no one there can drive them off. They're stronger, too. If that washerwoman hadn't been an exceptionally gifted Mage, the little girl might not have been saved."

"In that case, I'll take Lulu and Rinoa with me to sweep the city," Reno said as he got to his feet.

"No," Ahnmuri said. "Take Quistis and Barrett to sweep the town." Reno was surprised by this as his mother rarely interfered with his duties. "What is it you're not telling me?" he asked.

"Lulu and Rinoa have been sent to guard the stadium," she informed him. "I'm going to send all the families there to stay while this is dealt with. There's another difference with these monsters, Reno…they only target children."

Reno could only stare at her.

"I want this stopped before more are hurt," she said by means of dismissal. When he did not move, she continued in a sharp voice, "You have your orders, Captain." She waved a hand, indicating he should get going.

"Of course," Reno started and headed for the door. "Right away, Mom…I mean, my Lady."

-{([o])}-

Ansem explained Axel and his survival, and their current course of action, not once, but thrice. The first time was to Mickey and company aboard the _Excalibur_. The second time came after the reunion and, in the case of three tiny pixies, introductions with the members of the newly christened "Radiant Garden Restoration Committee" inside Merlin's home. Cid, Yuffie, and Aerith were delighted to have their benevolent ruler back, hugging him and shaking his hand, while Leon gave a noncommittal sigh. For those who knew the young man, as Ansem believed he did, that was close to an emotional outpouring. The third and final time he told the story was in the giant computer room to Tron, both he and Merlin having agreed to help in anyway they could, the latter claiming to have already spent time scouring his many books for any information that could help.

Tron was currently discussing a timeline with Ansem while compiling the data from both of the disks Ansem had fed into the slots on the user interface. Merlin and the King were listening quietly to the pair as King Mickey composed a letter with Axel reading it over his shoulder. Donald and Goofy were outside in the study, discussing the town with Leon.

"It will take me a little time, Master Ansem," Tron informed them. "At least two days. I have to convert the raw data into usable code, configure the code to work in the new format, and set up a clean space inside the mainframe to work in. Also, a few modifications will need to be made to the digitizer, although, now that I have the information on the newer model you built, that will be the easy part."

"I know I'm asking a lot of you," said Ansem, "and I appreciate your assistance, my friend."

Mickey looked up from the letter to inquire, "Today is Sunday, so if we have them here on Wednesday, will that be enough time?" When Tron replied in the positive, the King put the pertinent information in the letter, signed and sealed it, and handed it to Merlin. The Wizard slid the note into a glass bottle he conjured, corked the bottle, and waved a hand over it. There was a bright flash and both bottle and note were sent on their way. "There," Merlin said. "They should find it easily enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, not only do I have work to do, it is time for tea. I would invite you to join me, but I already know you won't." With no more explanation than that, the old Wizard vanished in his own flash of light.

"What a fruitcake," muttered Axel. "I heard that," came Merlin's disembodied reply, drawing a laugh from the three remaining people. Ansem remained smiling and turned to face the Nobody. "If all goes well, Axel," he said, "you will have your friend back before the week is out."

-{([o])}-

This is my first story (and I'm stupid enough to tackle a biggie), so please review. Constructive criticism is always welcome. I'll even take flames (it's currently three degrees outside and I could use the heat source).

Please R/R, folks

LSR

-{([o])}-


	2. Chapter One: Memories of Light and Waves

-{([o])}-

_Disclaimer: I may have applied to work for the mouse once, but he's never worked for me...unless you count on the rare occasion where he becomes a playable character..._

_Author's Notes: If you haven't read the prologue since this story was first published (I realize I may be talking to a whole two people), you may wish to reread it as parts have been rewritten. Though this is the actual first chapter, and our main characters are a big part of it, it's still going to be with some side characters as well. There is a taste of "adult" content in this chapter, but, again, not a PWP, and it depends where you read this whether you even get the mention (check my profile for a link to this story's other posting__). There's a hint of one other, though just a hint, and about that one, remember a lot can happen in a year. Also, just because I write AkuRoku and SoRiku doesn't mean all the men are like that. If you're looking for Cleon, for example, look elsewhere. The ladies deserve some attention, too...you just won't get a full description of it from me. "Sorry", or "You're welcome", depending. Anyway..._

-{([o])}-

Chapter One: Memories of Light and Waves

-{([o])}-

"Sora! 'Your Majesty'! Do not forget-when I've destroyed them all, this castle shall be mine!"

It had seemed a simple venture: even if they would no longer heed her command, she could destroy the Heartless and claim the shining Castle for her own. After all, she was the mistress of all evil, one who had even returned from the Darkness to fight another day. Seeing the oaf falter next to her, she knew she had to keep fighting. She would not suffer defeat again. Still, her spells were not vanquishing the Heartless quite as quickly as they once were. She could feel her strength leaving her as wave upon endless wave of the mindless creatures clashed against her.

-{([o])}-

The sheer curtains around the open window were shuffled by a passing breeze causing a ray of moonlight to fall into the open aqua-colored eyes of the young man lying awake in his bed. He raised a hand and smoothed his silvery hair as he sat up, abandoning his attempts at sleep. Though his body was tired, his mind was too awake, and, besides, he didn't relish his dreams lately.

Riku glanced around the dimly moonlit room. Though everything in it was his, from the discarded shoes by the door and the clock that showed it was only a few hours until daybreak, to the mess of papers and a framed photo on the desk next to his bed, it didn't feel like his. The items felt like they belonged to another person or another life. The memories that separated him from that life were part of what was keeping him awake. The other was the person his younger self was next to in the picture. The boys were frozen in laughter, the young Riku ruffling the spiky brown hair of the other, while Sora tried to tickle him. A small smile briefly flashed across the present Riku's face as he looked at the photo, but quickly vanished as he thought about the last several days.

After the reunion on the beach, Mickey and his companions had left rather quickly, not wanting any of the islanders to see them, in an attempt to protect what was left of the order of the worlds. Before returning to his ship, Mickey had looked from Sora to Riku and given Riku an encouraging smile. The King had managed to get Riku's true thoughts out of him one night while spying on Organization XIII, but Riku had sworn him to secrecy. Mickey, of course, had kept his word. Riku had been sad to see his friend go, but understood his wish for as much semblance of order that could be had given the situation. There was nothing for Riku, Sora, and Kairi to do but to pile into Kairi's lone boat, left there after she followed Pluto, and make their way back to the mainland.

That night, there had been a great party at their return, after their parents were finished scolding them and they had given up, at least for the moment, trying to get the story of the trio's absence out of them. Kairi had been considered something of a hero for finding the boys and bringing them home, but even she wouldn't mention where they had been.

However, at the party, and for every day since then, the adults had been careful to keep the Sora and Riku apart, and even Kairi didn't visit much, or when she did, she always seemed preoccupied and in a hurry to leave. The whole situation left Riku frustrated, but slightly relieved. He knew they were worried that if they got together, they might take off again, but knowing the reason didn't make the action any easier to take, even if it meant putting off the inevitable. Riku had gone along with it only because apparently Sora had. Riku understood somewhat. Even he needed a few days rest, spending the first few days in the deep, dreamless sleep of someone who had experienced far too much in such a short time. The last few days, however, his dreams had found him, and they were full of haunting memories, missed opportunities, and times his courage had failed him, not in the fight, but in revealing why he went through it all.

_If only that stupid letter hadn't come,_ Riku thought. _If only I'd had more time. I could have explained to him why I did it. The real reason._ But, Riku couldn't place sole blame on Kairi or the arrival of her letter. He had tried a few times after Sora had carried him down to the beach in the Realm of Darkness, but he had backed out each time, talking instead about stupid things, like the sound of the waves. He paused in his self recriminations for a minute to enjoy the memory of Sora's arms around him, even if Sora only did it because Riku couldn't carry himself.

Riku sighed as he looked out his window, looking in the direction of the island they used to play on, hidden somewhere off in the darkness, as his thoughts turned to the coming day. With Kairi as messenger and go-between, he and Sora had finally agreed to break out of the virtual house arrest their parents had them under. Locked doors, of course, weren't a problem. It was a matter of waiting until the adults left for the day, and if not, Riku planned to use the age old argument of "I'm almost 17, you can't keep me here if I want to go out".

He hadn't pointed out that, by the rules of this world, he would be legally an adult in a few more months because he'd had nowhere really to go. It wasn't until Kairi had told him that Sora had agreed to the plan that he'd even really thought about it. But, Sora had agreed to meet up with him, and that thought brought back the worry about what he was going to say tomorrow.

-{([o])}-

The stadium was a huge construction of intricately carved wood and masonry. In more pleasant times, the large central floor served as stage for demonstrations of magic, championship duels, theatre in-the-round, lectures, or concerts while the thousands sat in the tiered rings of seats around the exterior. Today, however, the floor had several tents and tables set up, manned by worried officials handing out bedding, serving food, or trying to comfort the frightened citizens as they followed the Lady's orders and left their homes for this makeshift shelter. A young woman with dark hair, clad in black boots and a long, blue, sleeveless duster with a white wing design embroidered each shoulder blade, arrived, seemingly looking for someone.

It was surprisingly quiet given the amount of people and the size of the space; no one spoke above a strained whisper as everyone was listening for the sounds of battle. Every now and then, the stillness would be broken by a clink of metal when one of the infantry would shift in their shining silver armor as they stood guard around the floor. High above, on the walkway behind the uppermost seats, almost level with the top of the outer walls, members of the Mage Corps., hooded and cloaked in deep blue, kept their watchful eyes on the people below. Except for one.

One woman, in an outfit more belts than dress, had her back to the inside. Her long black braids fell over her shoulder as she leaned on the outer wall of the stadium, gazing into the distance as darkness seemed to surround the town. Beside her on the wall, a small doll in the form of a moogle, stood and was apparently keeping watch over the citizens with the other mages. It waved at the younger woman as she mounted the top of the stairs.

"I'll never understand how you can split your focus like that, Teacher" Rinoa said, addressing the doll. The moogle cocked its head and shrugged, but the voice came from the other woman.

"Years of practice," Lulu said before finally turning around. "And, you don't have to call me that, anymore. You passed your training and are officially part of the Order. I'm just your friend now. You can call me by my name," she added with a hint of a smile.

"'Years of practice,'" Rinoa replied, a bright, teasing smile flashing across her face before it faded to one more nostalgic. "It's still hard to believe I'm finished. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful everyone accepted me and made me feel part of this world when I arrived, but when they found out I could do magic, all the testing, reading, learning and training seemed to go on forever."

"Following the precepts are a part of being part of this world," Lulu chided lightly. "You arrived here when you were fourteen, so most of your regular education was already taken care of, and you had it easy for a while, but those found to have magic have to be taught the proper way to control and focus it. That means three years in the Halls of Learning, and four years field training with a member of the Order." Lulu offered her own smile as she gestured to herself at this last bit as both she and Rinoa were lost in memories for a moment.

-{([o])}-

Oh, the indignity! A powerful sorceress, reduced to trying to fight off the Heartless hand-to-hand, or staff-to-claw. Her magic had faltered at last, and the creatures had closed in. Her once elegant black dress had rips and tears in many places from the Shadows' sharp talons. Her buffoon of a henchman was no help anymore. The Heartless had knocked him to the floor and were swarming over him. Though, even if she hated to admit it, she might not fair any better. She no longer had the strength to even open a doorway out of this fight. A sudden explosion high above them rocked the Castle, forcing her to her knees, but it also forced the Heartless back a moment. Even those clinging to her lackey were forced off long enough for her to meet his terrified eyes.

-{([o])}-

In an upstairs bedroom in the largest house on the islands, the windows were thrown wide to tempt in the cool predawn air. Kairi, too, lay awake, listening to the distant sounds of the waves crashing against the shore, thinking about the secret she had been keeping from Sora and Riku since she first met back up with them, and worrying about how she was going to reveal it. A heavy sigh escaped her lips.

"So, you not sleeping tonight?" came a voice from beside her, causing her to sit bolt upright in bed. She clutched the bed sheets to her bare breasts, the movement pulling the covers off the young man lying next to her, revealing his toned, tanned, and very naked body. This elicited a quiet laugh from the young man, his blue eyes seeming to sparkle in the dim light.

"See? I told ya you were a blanket hog," Tidus teased as he moved closer to her and covered himself back up. Kairi gave him a smile and shushed him, not wanting her adoptive parents to hear, as she laid back down on her side, snuggling against him. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. "Much better," he continued in a softer voice. "Now, what's up?"

Kairi pressed back into him and sighed again, this time only partially from worry. "I'm just not sure how I'm going to tell them about us." Tidus knew she wasn't talking about her parents, as most people in town had already guessed they were a couple, though hopefully no one knew they usually spent the night together.

"You know, a guy could get worried in a situation like this," Tidus said, the joking tone tinged with real concern. "I mean, would you rather be with one of them now that they're back?" The "and that you remember who they are" was implied. Tidus was the only one to whom she had told what she knew of the whole story.

Kairi quickly turned over and pressed her lips to his before pushing back slightly so she could look him in the eyes. "Almost a year ago, when you asked me why we had never dated and I couldn't give you an answer beyond 'because we were young,' I was being honest. That answer's still true, even given what's happened. I was young and spoiled. I enjoyed thinking they were fighting over me, whether they actually were or not. But, you actually pay attention to me for me. And besides, you were actually here with me this last year."

"Still, I can't help thinking that if they had been here..." Tidus began before she cut him off with another kiss.

"Quit it," she admonished. "I told you I love you and I still mean it. Just because I can remember our old friends now doesn't change that." She turned back over and cuddled back against him. "All it does is bring up the situation of me having to tell them."

"Just be honest," Tidus said. "I'm sure they'll understand. Besides, for all you know, they may have people waiting for them among those other worlds you told me about."

Kairi hadn't thought of that. "Maybe you're right. And, I promise I'll tell them about us tomorrow."

"You mean later today," Tidus teased. "Like, in just a few hours." He paused as he shifted, making Kairi aware of a 'growing' issue between them currently pressed against her backside. "You know, there's really no sense in me going back to sleep, especially if you're just going to be awake worrying. I could always try and take your mind off of it for a while..."

"It_ is_ very distracting," she giggled as she turned back over and rolled on top of him.

-{([o])}-

Rinoa had been very afraid and confused when she first arrived. Her world had been on the verge of being swallowed by darkness. Someone she care about very much had told her to join him in the gardens where he and the others he was in the process of rounding up would be making their escape, but she was cut off. The Heartless had her surrounded. As they closed in around her and the wish to be somewhere safe away from them gripped her heart, she was momentarily blinded by a flash of light.

She blinked, trying to clear her vision and heard concerned, but unfamiliar voices all around her. She had a brief impression of a bustling market before her vision dimmed again. Strong hands held her shoulders as her knees gave out and she lost consciousness. When she awoke later in the Healing Center, she had been informed of her situation. Some strong magic had brought across the Paths Between to this world. Through further study, the masters had discovered that the magic was her own, and that she was a powerful mage, possibly even a sorceress with the proper training. Though she and her newfound friends had tried, returning her to her own world seemed impossible. The darkness surrounding it had been too strong.

Since return was impossible, and the new world was welcoming and not too different from the one she came from, she tried to make a life in it. She was sent to live with one of the towns officials and even underwent the training that any ordinary citizen of the world with magic would be subject to. But, through it all, she never forgot her home world, especially the young man she left behind. Even though she knew it wouldn't work, she even tried to tap into the power within her. She didn't risk sending herself, but she tried sending letters. At first, nothing happened. When she thought she had the hang of it, they would vanish in a bright flash of light, only to reappear a few moments later, the magic unable to deliver it. For a long time, she had given up even trying this.

"So, what took you so long reporting in?" Lulu asked from her seat on top of the stadium wall, picking up her moogle doll. "You had me worried that something happened to you."

"Ever the worrier," Rinoa replied with a smile as she took a seat in the spot formerly occupied by the doll. Even when Lulu was still officially her teacher, assigned as her handler from the Mage Corps., she acted more like a big sister than anything else. Rinoa hesitated, her smile slipping a bit and her hand coming up to play with ring she wore on a chain around her neck, before continuing. "Actually, I was in the middle of something when the summons went out. I...sent a letter." Lulu had helped her try in some of her failed attempts and knew she wasn't talking about walking to the post box. She was about to comfort Rinoa, but something in the wording made Lulu pause.

"You 'sent a letter,'" Lulu repeated back.

Rinoa nodded. "I hadn't tried in over a year, not since before things got bad last time, but with everything that's going on now with the new enemy and everything, I just thought, 'if this is my last chance,' I should take it. And...it worked."

"First," Lulu said with a sigh as she pulled her friend into a hug, "don't think like that. We didn't fall to the Darkness a year ago, and even with this new enemy, we're still going to be fine. Understand me?" Lulu pulled back from the hug to look Rinoa in the eyes and waited for her to give a slight smile and nod before continuing. "And, the letter getting through? This is a good thing. It means you've finally found him." Rinoa's smile grew more broad. "So, what did you say?"

-{([o])}-

The Heartless were quickly on Pete, again. He called out to her in a weak voice.

"Maleficent," he cried. "I...I don't want to be a Heartless."

An emotion she had not felt in so long that she couldn't immediately identify it passed through her heart. Pity? True compassion? It was followed quickly by a feeling of hopelessness. She couldn't save him. She couldn't save herself. The Heartless had been on her almost as soon as she fell. Their hearts would be taken. There was nothing she could do for him...

"Maleficent...please...anything but one of them..."

Well, almost nothing...

-{([o])}-

Unlike the others, Sora had no problems sleeping. In fact, he was lost to the world of dreams at that moment...

Far below him, he could hear the hustle and bustle of the people of the town as they finished their work for the day. They chatted and laughed, shouted and bickered over the ever present clickity-clack of the trains and trams, but all that was little more than white noise in the background to him. Right now, he couldn't care less about the other people in the world or their problems. Right now, for him, there was only the beauty of the sunset, and the comfort of the person he snuggled against to watch it.

An arm was draped around his shoulder as he sat with his head against the other person's chest. The soft sound of their lungs a restful rhythm in his ears after a hard days fight. How he wanted to do this forever. There could be no better way to end the day than in the arms of the one he cared for, even if he wasn't "supposed to". The rest of his line of thought, however, was driven from his mind by the sound of Kairi giving a giggle behind them.

"Aw, don't you guys look cute," said Kairi as a deeper laugh came from beside him.

As he turned around to grumble at her for interrupting, he was brought up short. _Wait, a second, _he thought to himself_. Her hair is...and what is she wearing?_ He brushed away a few strands of his own blonde hair that had fallen into his eyes to get a better look at her. _Wait...Blonde?_

Sora opened his eyes, the unexpected incongruities shaking him from the dream. He really did feel mad at Kairi for interrupting, or was it Kairi? The more he tried to think about it, the more he couldn't decide, and the more he tried to remember what she interrupted, the more it slipped through his grasp. In the end, all he could come up with was that whatever it was felt right, that it might have something to do with Sea Salt ice-cream, and that not being able to remember it kind of hurt, but he wasn't sure why.

Finally with a shrug, Sora rolled over and went back to sleep, not noticing the lone tear running down his cheek and into his pillow.

-{([o])}-

Even though things were kind of chaotic with the return of their former leader, the members of the Restoration Committee were still busy with the task of cleaning up the town. Though Tron's help in finding the original blueprints to the town made things easier, there was a lot of damage to be repaired after the last giant battle with the Heartless. Not to mention the fact that they were going to have guests that night. True, it was always good to see Sora and it would be nice to finally meet the famous Riku and Kairi, but they rarely had any actual notice he was coming.

Merlin was sitting at his table, sipping tea, and going over a piece of parchment he had received from Ansem, apparently detailing the magics used in restoring Axel. Yuffie was out patrolling the town, with a little help from Donald and Goofy. Aerith was reading the computer screen over Cid's shoulder as he worked on drawing up a plan of action for the repairs. Leon had just walked through the door, having been up to see Ansem and the King, when a bright flash filled the whole room, surprising Merlin so much that, "Jehosafat!", he fell out of his armchair.

In the middle of the table, surrounded by a fading glow, was a small envelope leaning against the old teapot. Merlin peered over the edge of the table and poked at it with his staff. When nothing happened except the envelope falling over from being tapped, he stood and picked it up, examining it. Sensing nothing dangerous about it, he turned around to face the others. "Leon, I believe it is for you."

Leon rushed forward and took it. It was a heavy, but plain envelope, devoid of markings except for the heart pressed in the sealing wax on the front, and the word "Squall" on the back. He gave a small gasp as he thought he recognized the fluid script in which his former name was written. The others merely looked on as he passed out of Merlin's house.

He didn't stop walking until he reached the wall of the old Bailey overlooking the gorge. Leon sat on the brink as he softly touched the parchment in his fingers, trying not to get his hopes up, but still his heart was overwhelmed. As he opened it, the first bit of real joy to touch him in over ten years crashed through him as a glowing pair of white wings made of pure light floated out of the envelope. Blinking fiercely, he read the letter he had been longing for.

-{([o])}-

Another explosion shook them. She used the momentary diversion to her advantage and reached out to her companion. She closed her eyes and gathered her last bit of strength. When she opened them, she locked gazes with the old riverboat captain.

In a soft tone that surprised even her, she said, "I'm sorry, Pete. This is the only way to save you from my fate." With that, she released her energy in a blast across his chest, stopping his heart. The light faded behind his eyes, as the Heartless, losing one of their targets, focused solely on her. She no longer had the strength to fight them. She closed her eyes and waited. She knew what would happen next.

-{([o])}-

The sun had barely shown it's face over the horizon as Sora unlocked his bedroom door and snuck downstairs. He'd thought his parents had mentioned something about going shopping and it seemed that they had left early, so he had no trouble as he dashed out of the house and down to the docks. The larger boats, fishing vessels mostly, would have left already, but there were a few smaller boats that the villagers used to get around to the other islands on their own. Sora untied one of them and began paddling for the island that he and his friends used to play on.

Seeing that his was the only boat at the little pier when he arrived, he knew he was first. He hoped Riku didn't have too much trouble getting away. Of course it was possible that he, Sora, had actually managed to wake up before the others. _If that's true, maybe things really have changed,_ he thought to himself as he went up the stairs in the shack, crossed the bridge to the small island and sat down on the bent Paupu tree. As he did, he could see another small boat coming through the waves. The glint of early morning sunlight off of silver hair told him who it was.

Riku had decided to simply go out his window, rather than risk a confrontation with anyone. Skulking and sneaking had become second nature to him. As he arrived, he was glad to see it was just Sora there. He worked his was across to the small island and hopped across the Paupu tree, joining Sora, all the while working up the courage to say what was on his mind. In the meantime, both simply stared out across the water to the mainland. Finally, he broke the silence, deciding to ease in to the conversation.

"Nothing's changed, huh?" he remarked, his courage starting to vanish again.

"Nope," replied Sora. "Nothing will."

_And here I am trying to change basically everything,_ thought Riku. _Even if I do say something, he'd probably never...And even then the people of the islands would definitely never accept it._

"What a small world," he said aloud.

"But," Sora countered, "part of one that's much bigger."

"Yeah," Riku replied, lamely. _Some world out there might accept it, _he thought to himself, _but even to get there would be next to impossible now. I can't access the Corridors of Darkness anymore, and my heart's not strong enough to use the Pathways of Light, not like..._

"Hey, Riku," Sora said, interrupting his thoughts. "What do you think it was-that door to the light?"

Riku smiled at the thought that he and Sora might be thinking of similar things. He raised his hand and pointed at Sora's heart. "This," he said.

"This?" Sora asked, pointing his own hand.

"Yeah," Riku replied. "It's always closer than you think."

Sora leaned forward slightly and gave Riku a sweet smile that lit a fire in his heart. Riku started leaning forward, too. _Maybe if I just do this and then explain afterward. I mean, he can't really blame me when he's just so..._

"Sora! Riku!" Kairi's shout rang through the morning air, making Sora turn to watch her run across the bridge and Riku to snap back upright, silently cursing himself and Kairi's timing, again.

"What's up?" Sora asked as Kairi stopped to catch her breath. Though they hadn't noticed her boat arrive, it was clear from her present state that she had paddled hard and ran the rest of the way.

"Look," she finally managed to say between gasps. She held up a small bottle with a message inside. On the side of the rolled paper, a very distinctive mark could clearly be seen.

"From the King?" Sora asked as he took the bottle, uncorked it, shook out the letter and unrolled it.

"I was walking to my boat when there was a bright flash in the water nearby and the bottle washed up on the sand," Kairi explained as she leaned over the tree to be able to see. Riku casually leaned in to read along:

_Dear friends,_

_I had hoped that things could settle down for a while and let you guys get back to a normal life, but we've got something happening here that concerns you. Inside the mansion outside of Twilight Town, Donald, Goofy and I ran into a couple of people we never thought we'd see again: Ansem the Wise and Axel. How they survived is a story best left up to them to tell, but Ansem thinks he has a way to bring back Naminé and Roxas, and with no damage done to Sora or Kairi._

_Merlin said that he knew you guys would agree so he's going to come and get you Sunday at noon on the beach where we left you, even Riku, since I know he will want to come, but whether you go along with this is up to you. This could be dangerous, and I'll understand if you don't want to go through with it. Still, it will be nice for us to see each other again. So, even if it's just for a visit, we'll see you guys soon._

_Your friend,_

_Mickey_

Riku leaned back, glad that his friend had kept his word and not said why Riku would want to come along. He also wasn't sure how he felt about the prospect of the two Nobodies returning. On the one hand, he and Naminé were on friendly terms, but on the other, he wasn't sure how Roxas would respond to him. He looked over at the other two and waited for them to speak.

"Well," Kairi said finally, "I think we owe it to them for everything they did for us."

"Yeah," Sora said slowly. "I mean, it's our fault they existed in the first place. It's only fair that they get a chance to have a life, or whatever."

"So, you guys have decided?" Riku asked. When they nodded, he continued. "Then, there's just one thing. I know that the days kind of meld together here, but you do realize that today is Sunday. Merlin will be here in a few hours."

-{([o])}-

The stadium shook and screams filled Rinoa's ears as another blast of strong magic rocked the building to its foundations. They had attacked out of, literally, nowhere: hundreds of Heartless were swarming around the building, while thousands more overran the town. At the head of the wave, like generals in command, were at least a dozen of the new fiends, seeming to enjoy the screams of fear. They were shaping and wielding Darkness as if it actually had form. They cut down anyone in their path, tossing the armored guards into the waiting Heartless swarm as if they were nothing more than toy soldiers. They hurled great, pulsing orbs of Darkness that exploded upon impact at the mages, trying to dislodge them from their perch as the mages scrambled across the crumbling building, hurling back their own spells. Magical barriers had been erected around all the entrances, and while it seemed to hold the generals back, it only seemed to slow the Heartless.

Rinoa was trying to fight back her own fear while staying alive. The part of the wall that she and Lulu had occupied was blasted apart in the first moments of the attack. She had been thrown down the stairs to the floor below in front of the main gate and was fighting off the Heartless that had appeared inside the stadium. In her efforts to defend the citizens, she'd not seen what happened to Lulu. Rinoa stumbled as the barrier around the entrance wavered, then blinked out as the great doors splintered under the last shadow barrage. Two of the new fiends, followed by another wave of Heartless, stormed through the opening. The too-wide smiles flashed evilly, until a brilliant beam of light cut them down.

A willowy hand, still slightly glowing, extended from an emerald green cloak to help Rinoa up. She received a quick smile from the Lady Ahnmuri before she dashed off to the center of the floor, leaving Rinoa to dust herself off. Ahnmuri called four of the closest mages to her, which gathered in a small circle around her and joined hands. Rinoa could feel the power being called up from where she stood as a ball of light formed in the Lady's hands. Ahnmuri raised it above herself and threw her arms wide, causing the ball to expand, rushing past the citizens, but forcing the Heartless back. The shield spell now formed a shimmering, semi-transparent dome encompassing the central half of the stadium. Those outside it's protection either quickly ran inside it, or were mown down by the Dark creatures trying to break through. Ahnmuri gave swift orders for the injured to be looked after to a young man with matching red hair who had run to her side before she went back to Rinoa.

"That will hold them back," she said. "Not for long, mind you, but it will give us a chance to regroup. Where is Lulu? I need to speak with her."

"Right here," came the response from across the floor. Lulu was walking towards them with a slight limp, a few of her braids had come undone and now hung loose about her face, and her doll was holding its detached pompom in its arms. Rinoa went over and hugged her. Lulu smiled at her. "You didn't think you'd be rid of me that easily, did you?" Rinoa returned the smile.

Lulu gave a slight bow of her head, before addressing Ahnmuri in a somber tone. "My Lady, we follow you and will fight, but I do not think we will be able to drive them back like before. They are too many, and now," she glance at the crumbling building full of the fallen around them, "we are too few."

Ahnmuri gave a weary sigh. "I fear you are right, but..." the rest of her words were lost as the ground underneath them shook and a terrible roar filled the air. Circling the top of the stadium, in the places once occupied by the mages, the ever smiling fiends were all standing with their arms raised. High above the dome barrier, a massive ball of dark energy was drawing everything around it into itself. Pieces of buildings from the town, trees, even chunks of land were being pulled inside. For now, the air was still inside the barrier. Ahnmuri dropped her gaze and gave a sharp nod.

"Right, well that makes this easier," she stated. "The Land of Arrival it is. I only wish I'd thought to warn Ansem."

The tents that weren't demolished by the fight, along with cases of potions, elixirs, and food were gathered up. Ahnmuri pulled a small trinket from an inside pocket of her robe. The object was shaped like a silver cross, but with pointed ends like daggers and a heart as its top. Lulu moved to stop her, but the spell was cast: the emblem flew over their heads and created a glowing portal. Ahnmuri never took her eyes off it while giving orders for what was left of her people to pass through. Lulu gave a sad sigh as she helped marshal the citizens through.

"Don't worry," Rinoa said at her side. "They told us about the Outer Lands in our lessons. They exist outside the Realms and are kept safe. Sure, it'll be hard, but we can rebuild there."

"It's safe because, other than for the fabled Keyblade wielders, the only way to get there is through one of those portals, and the portal has to be maintained on the outside by a heart of light." Lulu closed her eyes.

"But that means…" Rinoa hesitated.

"The Lady is sacrificing herself to save us, yes." Lulu opened her eyes at the sound of a gasp from the person in front of her. Reno had reached them with the last of the supplies. He gazed from Lulu to his mother. Lulu, following his gaze, took advantage of his distraction and forced him through the portal before he could intervene. Rinoa, watched as the last of the people passed through, leaving only the three women. A silent fight was happening in her heart.

"My Lady, let me stay," Lulu pleaded. "I can hold the portal open. The people need you." Anything else Lulu was about to say was lost, however, as the portal flared brightly and a force pushed both her and Ahnmuri through the gateway, which promptly closed, the emblem dropping to the stone floor. At the same instant, the shield's protective dome blinked out of existence.

Whatever the Heartless and their Shade masters had hoped to find once the shield was gone, it wasn't a completely bare floor, save for a single white feather. An echo of a female voice reached them, but it's meaning didn't really matter. Their targets were gone. Soon, they, too, were gone, leaving the Darkness to finish swallowing the world, the feather, and the echo of a name.

"...Squall..."

-{([o])}-

She could feel the Heartless swarm around her. She could feel the Darkness reach inside her. She knew what was happening. Her heart knew she probably deserved it. But that doesn't mean the mind of Maleficent agreed, and the mind of a sorceress is a powerful thing...

-{([o])}-

_A/N: Remember, internet authors live on reviews, so if there was anything you like, anything you hated, or even if you laughed at my grammar and spelling, tell me about it.  
__LSR_


	3. Chapt Two: The Place I'll Someday Return

-{([o])}-

_Disclaimer: I have recently sent a letter offering Nomura a large portion of my worldly possessions for the rights to these games and characters, but until he responds in the positive, fingers crossed, I still don't own them._

_Author's Note: Psychological nudity warning (you're not going to see anything good in this chapter, sorry). To make up for it, there's more humour, violence, and death. I swear I won't kill/destroy a character in each chapter with this story, it's just starting out that way. Almost makes me feel like I should give a bit of credit to "good old J.K."...Credit to the makers of Doctor Who for that last quote about Jo Rowling. Shall we?_

-{([o])}-

Chapter Two: The Place I'll Someday Return

-{([o])}-

Originally, Riku had wanted to wait on the small island until Merlin arrived, but Kairi had convinced him that they needed to say good-bye this time and not just disappear again. Since they didn't really want to suffer the annoyance of house arrest when they got back, Sora, and eventually Riku as well, had agreed, so they had all returned back to the mainland and gone their separate ways.

Sora cautiously entered the small kitchen were his parents were putting away their shopping. Sora watched them for a few moments, wondering what he was going to say, how much to explain, and even how much they would understand. His parents didn't remember the swarms of Heartless all over the place or their world falling into Darkness. His mother eventually noticed him standing there.

"You're father volunteered to make dinner tonight," she said, as the man in question walked out of the room. "I picked up some cold cuts at the market just in case," she added in an undertone. When Sora didn't laugh or even smile at her little joke, she asked him what was wrong.

"I," he started, but stopped when his father came back in the room. Sora took a deep breath and continued. "I have to go away again," he said very quickly.

"No, you don't," his father said, dropping the key to the front door on the table, revealing where he went.

"Yes, I do," Sora argued. "There are some things that have to be done that I can't do here."

His father just shook his head, but his mother said, "Sora, whatever it is..."

"Mom," he cut her off, "there's things you don't know about me. I...I'm different. I..."

"It's that Riku boy, isn't it?" his father asked.

"Well...he's part of it," Sora replied, somewhat confused. His father let out a deep sigh and muttered, "I knew it."

"Look, you guys wouldn't understand, okay?" Sora said as he made for the front door in the other room.

"Yes we do, Sora," his mother said as she and her husband followed him. "We've kind of been expecting it. But, you don't have to leave because of it."

"Yes, Mom, I do," Sora said as he reached the door. "I'm sorry, okay? But don't worry. We can look after ourselves." Sora gave them a smile, and summoned his Keyblade. His parents gasped as Sora used it to unlock the door. They could only stare after him as he left.

Finally, Sora's father said, "You know, dear, I think we may have been having two different conversations."

-{([o])}-

Outside one of the smaller homes in the islands, the sound of bare feet thundering down wooden stairs reached Kairi's ears a few moments after she had finally worked up the nerve to knock. Tidus opened the door to his house, appearing much the same as he had when she had left him here less than half an hour before. He'd clearly taken her advice on going to sleep while she was with the others. His hair was an absolute mess and his bare torso seemed to glow in the morning sunshine. He had, at least, thought to put on a pair of shorts before dashing for the door. Kairi took in his smiling form, prolonging these last few moments before she had to tell him she was leaving. As she stood silently, a worried expression crept onto Tidus' face, and Kairi knew she wasn't hiding her nerves as well as she thought.

"How'd they take the news?" he asked, cautiously.

The question confused Kairi momentarily, until she realized he was talking about telling the boys about them. "Oh, I, uh," she started. "I didn't get a chance to tell them yet. Something else came up." She decided it was better to just come out and tell him what had happened. "Can I come in?"

He led her up to his room, and they sat down on his bed as Kairi explained, about finding the letter, what it meant, and that they were going to have to leave again. Tidus was quiet while she talked. He already knew about Naminé and Radiant Garden, and he understood why she felt she had to do this. That wasn't what made him speak.

"Are you sure you'll be safe?" Tidus asked. "I mean, I know Naminé helped you guys, but from what you've said about this Ansem guy, his plans don't always seem to work out and..." he trailed off as he struggled for words. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," he finally said.

Kairi slipped off the bed next to him and folded herself into his lap, draping her arms over his shoulders. "I promise you," she said softly, "that everything is going to be okay, so you don't worry. No matter what, I will come back to you. Okay?" He nodded slowly and she kissed him deeply. She broke the kiss long enough to say, "Now, I've got about an hour before I need to be back there, so how about we say good-bye the way a boyfriend and girlfriend are supposed to?" Laughing lightly, he rolled her down on to the bed and willingly obliged.

-{([o])}-

Riku was already sitting on the little pier waiting for him as Sora climbed up. "So how'd your parents take the news, Riku?" Sora asked him when he sat down.

"About as well as I expected," Riku offered, but didn't elaborate. "What happened at your house?"

As Sora related the conversation he had had with his parents, Riku was at first shocked, but then had to fight to keep from laughing in his friend's face. Sora finished his story by asking, "What's so funny?"

"Sometimes, you can be so oblivious, Sora," Riku responded, not managing to keep the chuckle out of his voice. "You do realize what your parents thought you were trying to tell them, right?"

"No, what?" Sora asked, as confused now as he had been when his parents said they thought they knew what he was going to tell them.

"Sora," Riku said. "They...they thought you were telling them that...well, that you were..."

"Are we all ready to go?" Merlin asked from behind them, startling the two so much that Sora actually fell off of the dock and into the water. Riku pulled Sora back onto the dock and turned around to face the wizard.

"I take it you're Merlin?" Riku asked.

"Quite right, my lad," the old man replied. "Nice to see you in person at last, Riku. And, Sora, you're looking well, if a little damp," he added with a smile. "Now, are the three of you ready to leave? Wait, why are there only two of you?"

"Kairi's not back yet, Merlin," Sora explained while Riku tried not to laugh at the absurd behavior of the man before him. "She should be here any time, though," Sora finished.

"No matter, no matter," Merlin blustered. He pulled a short staff out of his sleeve and brandished it in front of him, turning to face a clear space on the dock. "I'll have her here in two shakes." And he did shake his staff twice, calling "Alakazam" and cloud of white smoke appeared. As the smoke cleared, there stood Kairi in her pink dress and socks. Her left hand held her shoes, while her right arm wrapped around a very naked Tidus, whom she was in the middle of kissing. Merlin cleared his throat, and the pair became aware that they were no longer in Tidus' bedroom, or alone.

"Um...hi, guys," Tidus said to the stunned young men standing at the end of the pier. He stepped back from a red-faced Kairi and covered his quickly deflating excitement with both of his hands as he himself flushed red all over.

"Well, that can happen sometimes if the person is too close to another, which the young lady obviously was, and, um, well," Merlin sputtered at them.

"Uh, a little help? Could you, maybe, send me back?" Tidus asked. Without further ado, Merlin waved his staff again, and with a "snick, snack, snarl," Tidus was gone. Kairi bent down to slip on her shoes, still not meeting the others' eyes.

"Well," Riku said, "that explains what's been on your mind these few last weeks."

Kairi looked up, her blush deepening. "I tried to tell you guys so many times. I was planning on telling you this morning, but then I found the letter."

Riku could understand how interruptions made good excuses for not revealing a secret. He offered Kairi a smile and a nod as she turned to Sora. Sora let out a surprised chuckle.

"It's great, Kairi," Sora said, sounding sincere. "Really, I'm happy for you guys."

"I hate to interrupt," Merlin said, causing Riku to snort, "but we are on a time schedule, here, so shall we?"

The trio nodded collectively, Sora and Kairi taking one last look around. Merlin raised his staff again and they were all engulfed in a white cloud.

-{([o])}-

Deep in the Realm of Darkness, the Shades had delivered the report of their recent battle. They had been worried that their leader would be upset at the loss of the world and the escape of all the hearts, but their leader merely smiled.

"It is no matter," their superior told them. "There are other worlds, other castles, and other hearts we may have. Like this one here to which the Heartless have led me in your absence."

A shifting of a cloak revealed a young woman hidden behind it, held in place by Heartless. The woman had blue hair, and blue eyes that seemed to shine in the darkness even while wide with fear. She was clad mostly in black, but blue fabric tied at her waste served as a partial skirt. Her once gleaming silver boots were now tarnished and dirty. Her pale bell sleeves had been ripped in places by her captors.

"This one should know much and make for a powerful ally once she is once of us," the superior told the Shades. "The glimmer of her light in this dark place was well known to the Heartless. Relieve her of her information, and that light. Bring me her heart," the leader cackled loudly as the Shades dove for the prisoner.

-{([o])}-

The King and his companions embraced Sora and Riku like it had been two years instead of just two weeks without seeing each other, though, none of the other people gathered in Merlin's small house in the Burrow could begrudge them that. They had, at least in the case of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, spent the entirety of the previous year in each other's constant company, after all. After the reunion, Sora introduced Riku and Kairi to the members of the Restoration Committee, at least the ones present.

"So where's the rest?" he asked.

"Well," Yuffie replied, "Leon got a letter from someone and ran out of here a few hours ago, and we haven't seen him since. Very mysterious. He probably should have been back by now, but, you know Leon," Yuffie finished with a shrug. She didn't sound all that concerned, but then, she rarely did.

"Ansem the Wise," Cid continued for her, "is in the computer room, finishing up the preparations. That Nobody is with him. He...don't seem to like to socialize with the rest of us, for some reason."

"Probably," Riku said, "because you refer to him as 'that Nobody.'"

"Riku, be nice," Kairi admonished.

"Yeah, Riku," Sora chimed in. "You have to remember, these guys fought the Nobodies and Heartless just like we did. And, not everyone forgives as easily as we do."

Before Riku could respond, Merlin bustled him, Sora, and Kairi out of the house, muttering about schedules, with Mickey on their heels. The walk to the old castle was quick and rather uneventful; the local Heartless were of course no match for the four Keyblade wielders in concert with the wizard and the town's defenses.

"You'd think these guys would learn and just give up," Sora said as they crossed the walkway from Ansem's private study to the computer room.

"They can't learn at all. They have only the darker emotions and pure instinct to drive them," came the deep voice of Ansem the Wise as they entered the room. He looked up from the console and nodded to each of them in turn. "An honor, as always, my young friends."

"Yeah, I suppose it is kind of nice to see your ugly mugs again," came Axel's quip from the other doorway.

Seeing Axel there, leaning in the doorway, giving them his standard slightly sarcastic smile, Sora was over come with warring thoughts. It was like something in him wanted to smack the Nobody, and yet, at the same time, this same something wanted to embrace him and not let go. Sora raised a hand to his forehead as snippets of the forgotten dreams of the past few weeks played across his mind and then connected as the realization that they were actually memories sank in. Riku put a steadying hand on his shoulder as Sora looked up at Axel.

"I'm fine," he assured them all. "It's just...Roxas." The smile vanished from Axel's face as a gasp escaped his lips. Sora offered him a somewhat knowing smile. "Sea-salt ice cream," he said, with a slight blush as the Nobody smiled again.

"What's that about?" Riku asked, an odd tone in his voice.

"Kind of had to be there to understand it," Axel said, fighting the ghost of a laugh. He became serious as he turned to Ansem. "So, they're here. Now what? You've never really explained how this was all going to work." Sora, Riku, and Kairi perked their ears, wanting to know what was going to happen, as well.

"It's a complicated process, involving science and magic that I would not expect you to understand. I know the processes and even I still do not understand completely why they work." When he was sure that everyone knew he was only mildly talking down to them, he continued. "It starts by digitizing Sora, Kairi, and Merlin. Once they are inside the system...well...I shall let the others explain their parts."

Ansem gestured to the display on the main console. Tron could be seen standing in a large brilliantly lit white room, empty save for four flat tables, two of them occupied by hazy, grey, vaguely humanoid shapes. "Using information on the Replica project," Tron spoke, his voice coming out of the speakers all around them, "I have already created blank digital bodies to house the two minds of the Nobodies. Once Sora and Kairi have been digitized, it is a matter of taking a copy of the memories of the Nobodies hidden within their minds and hearts, similar to the work that was done in restoring Sora but in reverse, and placing those within the new bodies, which will then take on the characteristics of their new occupants."

"And that's where I," Merlin broke in, "use my extensive knowledge of magic, with a little guidance from this scroll to fuse those minds with the bodies, and make them, not just replicas of their selves, but true Nobodies."

"After that," Ansem said, "it's just a matter of rematerializing them back from the digital world. The Nobodies may be a bit weak at first, but that will pass in time. Now, if there are no more interruptions, let us begin."

-{([o])}-

Passing across the broken landscape, the Shades brought their leader to view the odd angles and twisted, burnished façade of the Castle, the location of which their newest member had, albeit unwillingly, shown them. Their superior stopped them and turned a gaze to a point deep within the building and vanished.

They followed through nothingness to find their ruler leaning over the form of a young blonde man dressed in black and white slumped in a white throne-like chair in a small room of the same color. The boy appeared as though asleep, yet his blue eyes were open, vacant, and staring without seeing.

"I thought that I sensed a heart, but it was nothing more than an echo. I've seen this before. The boy's heart is elsewhere, and thus he is of no use to us. He is, however...in my way." Their superior flashed a wicked smile. "Destroy the body so that we may claim this Castle for our own."

The Shades eagerly complied.

-{([o])}-

Things had been going well with the separation. It was decided that it would be best to do the work one pair at a time, with the ladies going first. Kairi was placed into a magic-induced sleep as Tron sifted through her data, looking for the memories, thoughts, and various bits of consciousness that made up Naminé. Once those were all found and copied, they were placed inside the new vessel which took on the appearance of a blonde, teen girl in a pale sundress. Finally, after hours of work, and a final complicated bit of spellwork from Merlin, both Naminé and Kairi opened their eyes. The process seemed to be such a success that Naminé even volunteered to help with Roxas' restoration, as she had some experience in poking around Sora's heart.

Sora took his place on a table and Merlin put him to sleep. Even with both Tron and Namine working together, though, it still took several hours of searching for Naminé to be satisfied they had all of Roxas together. The pieces were joined with the blank, and the hazy shape formed itself into a blonde young man dressed in the long black coat of the Organization. Again, Merlin worked his magic, and both young men opened their eyes and sat up. However, almost immediately, Roxas let out a pained gasp, clutched his chest and fell to his knees on the floor as Sora collapsed back onto the table.

Merlin stood stock still, dumbfounded and sputtering, as Naminé shoved Tron out of the way and rushed over. She knelt between the two boys and placed one hand on either of their chests. She closed her eyes, a look of deep concentration on her face, and her hands began to faintly glow.

"The chain..." she said slowly, "...it's been broken at the source. It's starting to unlink itself."

"Can you fix it?" Ansem seemingly asked from thin air.

"I believe so," she replied, opening her eyes to address the ceiling. "But..." she trailed off. "Never mind," she sighed with a slight, sad smile and set to work, closing her eyes again. She focused first on Sora, then on Roxas, a silent inner battle playing out across her face. Finally, she opened her eyes and fell back, exhausted. Sora groaned and slowly sat back up. Roxas' eyes fluttered open.

"There," Naminé said. "The separation is complete, now. It's done." As she said this, she glanced down at her left arm which was slowly evaporating.

"Naminé!" Roxas shouted as he knelt by her side. "Wha...what did you do?"

"I fixed a mistake I made the first time," she said, offering him a weak smile. "I thought maybe you two could...but I never thought that..." she hesitated. "It wasn't anything you or Tron did," she called to the old wizard.

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked, dropping down to her other side.

"Roxas, Sora," she looked at both of them in turn, more of herself fading, "I'm sorry for what DiZ and I did to you guys. Consider this my way of making up for it."

"Naminé..." Roxas started, but she shook her head at him.

"Don't worry, Roxas," she said. "I wasn't ever even really a Nobody. If giving up my being makes you what you are, then, it was worth it." Naminé pressed a nearly faded hand to his chest. "Take care of it," she said before fading out completely.

-{([o])}-

The newest Shade entered the Chamber of Awakening to find it much different than the last time she was there. Dark, thorny vines covered the walls and wound around the central throne. She raised a hand and a shadowy Keyblade formed. With the weapon raised high, she charge the figure seated before her. She swung the blade down, but never made contact. Before she knew what had happened, she was flat on her back, a cackle greeting her ears as she climbed up to her knees.

"You'll have to learn to direct those dark feelings into something more productive," the figure said. "You have yet to gain enough power over your new self to even hope of challenging me." The figure stood from the throne, crept to Shade's side, and lifted her chin to look at her full on. "I could destroy you right now," the figure went on. "I'm sure you may think that preferable, but if you are ever to have a chance at revenge, then you will have to survive. And, the only way to do that is to do my bidding."

The Shade that was once Aqua cringed at the thought, but knew the figure spoke the truth. Though she had never desired such things in her previous existence, she did now feel the need for revenge. As she lingered on these thoughts, she could also feel the influence of the figure, no, her superior tearing down what little defense she had against it. With revulsion and a tinge of sadness, her voice came almost unbidden. "What do you wish of me?"

-{([o])}-

The loss of Naminé weighed heavily on their hearts and minds as the four emerged from the digital realm. Merlin immediately went into a deep discussion with Ansem the Wise and Mickey who were busy scouring the data for any clue as to what had gone wrong, and as to what it was that Naminé had been hinting at before she faded.

Riku rushed forward and pulled Sora into a embrace, drawing a surprised sort of squawk from the younger man. Riku gasped at his own impetuousness, and quickly pulled Kairi in, making it a group hug. Sora was still surprised, and he wondered why the guy who had once claimed not to be "a total sap" was showing such emotion. He chalked it up to the tension of the whole situation.

Axel smiled as Roxas approached him, opening his arms, hoping for a hug himself. Instead Roxas gave him a blank look.

"We need to talk," he said in an undertone as he walked past. "We'll be back," he called over his shoulder as he opened a dark portal and stepped through. Axel gave a confused look to the others and, shrugging, followed the other Nobody, the portal closing behind him.

Just then, a noise drew there attention back to the other door. Standing there, looking stricken, was Leon. In his arms he carried a young woman in blue and black. There were no physical marks on her body, but she was unconscious and her breathing was shallow.

"Help," Leon managed, before sinking to his knees, cradling the woman to his chest.

-{([o])}-

_A/N: Sorry it took longer than I planned to update. Computer issues, and my writer's block seemed to have come into contact with some reverse wood. It's also harder than I thought trying to write sections without gender specific pronouns or titles. Granted, I'm sure the identity of the Shade leader is most likely painfully obvious, but still...Anyway, leave me some reviews, why don't you?_

_LSR_

-{([o])}-


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